Container for and filled with elongated tetrahedron packages



GES

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS April 5, 1966 P. WASYLUKA CONTAINER FOR AND FILLEDWITH ELONGATED TE'TRAHEDRON PACKA Filed May 18, 1962 F lg. 2

,1," IIIIIIIII'I'II' IIII'III'IIIIIIIIIII Paul WasyZu/(a.

United States Patent 0,

3,244,274 CGNTAINER FOR AND FILLED WITH ELGN- GATE!) TETRAHEDRONPACKAGES Paul Wasyluka, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Hernrorion Ltd,Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a Dominion company of France FiledMay 18,1962, Ser. No. 195,823 4' Claims. (Cl. 206-65) This invention relates tocontainers for and filled with a plurality of packages having theconfiguration of a tetrahedron and it is the general object of theinvention to provide a new and improved construction which makes itpossible to provide a container having a simple four-sided prismaticconfiguration which has a square cross-section, this container holding aplurality of layers of tetrahedron packages, each layer of which isconstituted by a compact arrangement of four tetrahedrons, and theseveral layers being superimposed each upon the other, to the end offilling the interior of the 'containerwith a minimum loss of unstablespace, thereby not only making it possible to use a simply configuredcontainer but also to establish an extremely efiicient packing factorfor a package of this somewhat unusual configuration.

More particularly, the novel container and packages packed therein areconstituted by an elongated container having a four-sided prismaticconfiguration and which is square in transverse section, the packagesbeing substantially congruent and constituted by elongatedt'etrahedronseach of which is defined by four substantially congruent isoscelestriangular sides and having two opposite end edges substantiallyperpendicular to each other, each two triangular tetrahedron sidesmeeting respectively along each of said opposite edges at an includedangle of about To establish an optimum filling factor in the container,each side of the square. defining the transverse sec tion of thecontainer has a length approximately 1.6 times the length of each of thetwo opposite tetrahedron edges, and the quotient of the length of eachsaid tetrahedron edge divided by the distance between such edges ispreferably from about .75 to .85.

Containers for and filled with tetrahedron packages are not broadly new,reference being made in particular to US. Patent No. 2,919,800 grantedJanuary 5, 1960 to Harry S. V. Jarund, but container structure accordingto this patent is of more complex configuration and involves use ofpackages having a regular tetrahedron configuration only. It cannot beused to eificiently stack or pack tetrahedrons which are elongated asdistinguished from regular, i.e. in an elongated tetrahedron, thetriangular sides would be isosceles triangles whereas in a regulartetrahedron, the triangular sides would be equilateral triangles. In theJarund patent, the bottom wall of the container is also required to beat least a truncated portion of a substantially regular pyramid havingsix sides coordinated respectively to the six sides. of the containerwhich is hexagonal in transverse cross-section as compared with a moresimple flat bottom wall for a four-sided container in accordance withthe present invention.

The invention will hereinafter be described more in detail withreference to the accompanying drawing which, by way of example, ratherthan in a limiting sense, illustrates anembodiment of the container andpackages therein in accordance with the invention and which is definedmore particularly in the appended claims. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of an elongated tetrahedron packagewhich is to be stacked, or packed in a container according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the container showing one layer of fourtetrahedron packages and illustrating the stacking pattern involved; and

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FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the container shown in FIG. 2 having abottom layer of elongated tetrahedron packages stacked therein.

With reference now to the drawings, the tetrahedron package 1illustrated in FIG. 1 is of the kind which is produced from a length ofa tubular flexible packaging material by fiat-pressing and sealingtransversely the ends of the tube length along narrow end zones to formtwo end sealing fins 2, 3 substantially perpendicular to each other. Thebody of the tetrahedron package is constituted by four substantiallycongruent isosceles triangular sides 4. The base edges of two oppositetriangular sides meet along the inner line of one sealing fin 2 at anincluded angle of about 45 and the base edges of the other two oppositetriangular sides meet along the inner line of the other sealing fin 3also at an included angle of about 45". Due to the contents of package 1which may be a liquid such as milk, and also because of the inherentflexibility of the package walls, theshape of the package body maydepart slightly from a true geometrical tetrahedron, the package wallsbulging slightly outwards as seen on the drawing. As indicated in FIG.1, the distance H between the inner lines of the two end. sealing fins2, 3 is greater than the length B of the end seals, i.e. greater thanthe length of the base of each of the four triangular sides of thetetrahedron. More about this will be said later in the description.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, these two views show a container inwhich a bottom layer of four elongated tetrahedron packages each asillustrated in FIG. 1, are stacked or packed in accordance with theinvention. This container comprises a square fiat bottom wall 5 and fourside walls 6, 7, 8 and 9-extending upwardly from the bottom Wall, thesesidewalls defining substantially a straight prism of square transversesection. In the container, the bottom layer comprises two oppositelydirected, overlapping tetrahedron pairs 1a, 1b and 1c, M respectively,all of which rest upon the bottom wall 5.

In each such pair, thetwo tetrahedron packages In and 1b, and 1c, 1d arealigned and symmetrical to a diagonal plane indicated at 10, common toboth pairs, passing through the longitudinal axis and diagonallyopposite corners of the container, and engage each other in such plane10. Moreover, sides of the tetrahedron packages of each pair opposite tothe plane 9 engage adjacent side walls of the container. Thus, the sidesof one pair of tetrahedron packages 1a, lb engage adjacent containerside walls 6 and 7, while the sides of the other pair of tetrahedronpackages 1c, 1d engage the other adjacent container side walls 8 and 9.Each pair of tetrahedron packages 1a, 1b and 1c, 1d, respec tively, isthus accommodated in a wedge-like manner in an individual one of twodiagonally opposite inner side wall corners of the container, theupright one of the two mutually perpendicular edges of each tetrahedronpackage of each pair extending substantially along the adjacentcontainer side wall corner edge. The tetrahedron edge angle along thisupright edge being substantially 45 as previously described, each pairof tetrahedron packages will have a snug wedge fit in the inner sidewall corner of the container which encloses an angle of i.e. about twicethe tetrahedron edge angle. Hence, each one of the two tetrahedronpackages of each pair 1a, 1b and 1c, 1a which constitute the bottomlayer in the container will be firmly supported by the bottom wall 5 ofthe container and the adjacent side walls as well as by the othertetrahedron package of that pair.

Dependent upon the flexibility of the package wall material and thenature of the package contents and/or the degree of filling, thetetrahedron edge angle, or rather the quotient of the tetrahedron edgelength B and the spacing H between end seals 2, 3 may vary somewhat yetensuring a satisfactory stacking of packages in accordance with theinvention. In practice, it is preferred to establish the value of theaforesaid quotient between limits of .75 and .85. When determining thisdimensional relationship, as well as others which are to be laterdiscussed, sealing zones or above-mentioned type have been taken intoconsideration. These sealing fins project from the body of thetetrahedron package and are an inevitable result in most methods ofproducing tetrahedron packages.

As is apparent from the drawing, the two oppositely directed pairs oftetrahedron packages of the bottom layer are placed within the containerin overlapping relationship. Preferably, one pair 1a, 1b rests in parton the other pair 10, id but one tetrahedron package of a first pairmight as well rest in overlapping relationship upon that tetrahedronpackage of the second pair situated on the same side of said diagonalplane 1% common to both pairs, the other tetrahedron package of thesecond pair resting in overlapping relationship upon the othertetrahedron package of the first pair.

As with the bottom layer of tetrahedron packages in the container, thesec-nd layer to be inserted in the container in accordance with thestacking pattern of the invention will also comprise two oppositelydirected, overlapping pairs of tetrahedron packages. The pairs oftetrahedron packages of the second layer will rest upon the upwardlyfacing triangular sides of the tetrahedron packages of the bottom layer,and in each such pair the two tetrahedron packages will be aligned andsymmetrical to a diagonal plane 11 common to both pairs through theother diagonally opposite corners and longitudinal axis of thecontainer, the plane 11 thus being perpendicular to the symmetry planeit) associated with the bottom layer of four tetrahedron packages. Thetwo tetrahedron packages of each pair which constitute the second layer,like those packages of the bottom layer, thus will engage each other inthe second diagonal plane Hand triangular sides of the packages oppositefrom the diagonal plane 11 will engage adjacent side walls of thecontainer. Hence the general stacking configuration of the second layerof tetrahedron packages will be generally the same as that of the bottomlayer of packages, the only dilference being that the respective planesof symmetry lit and 11 are perpendicular to one another.

If the container is to hold still a third, fourth or even more layers,the third layer will have the same orientation as the bottom layer, i.e.its plane of symmetry will coincide with plane 1th of the bottom layer.Any fourth layer will have the same orientation as the second layer, itsplane of symmetry coinciding with the symmetry plane 11 of the secondlayer. Hence the stacking pattern according to the invention has thefeature that each layer of four tetrahedron packages has the samegeneral stacking configuration, and that the various layers are placedeach upon the other in such manner that the planes of symmetry ofsuccessive layers are alternately one and the other of two diagonalplanes through the corners and longitudinal axis of the container.

In order to obtain the closest possible stacking, i.e. to obtain theoptimum filling factor for the interior volume of the container, it ispreferred that the two overlapping tetrahedron pairs of superimposedlayers having coinciding planes of symmetry, i.e. layers one, three andfive, or layers two, four and six, etc. have alternatively one or theother of two overlapping arrangements. Thus, according to onearrangement, in one layer, two tetrahedron packages adjacent one sidewall corner of the container may partly overlie the other pair, while inthe next succeeding layer, that tetrahedron pair adjacent the same sidewall corner of the container may underlie the other tetrahedron pair ofthe latter layer. According to the other and alternative arrangement,with respect to the tetrahedron pairs of fins 2, 3 of the one layer, theoverlapping arrangement of equipositioned layers may alternatesimilarly, so that each tetrahedron of one layer overlies or underliesanother tetrahedron of that layer, while the corresponding tetrahedronof the second next layer underlies, or overlies, respectively, thecorresponding other tetrahedron thereof.

In accordance with the invention, the width A of one side of thesquarely configured container should exceed the distance H previouslyreferred to in order to permit insertion of the tetrahedron packages 1in the container in the improved stacking pattern. Optimum stackingresults have been obtained by dimensioning of the container in such away as to yield a transverse container si-de width A equal to 1.6 timesthe length B of the base of each triangular side of the tetrahedron.

In practice, an even number of tetrahedron layers according to thepresent stacking pattern will yield the most advantageous use of theinterior volume of the container. This is best illustrated in thefollowing Table l which lists the container height L for various numbersof layers, the height L belng expressed in terms of the length B.

Table 1 Number Container Number of layers of tetraheight L in hadronslength B 4 1X13 8 1 3X13 12 2 3 B 16 2 6X13 20 3 6X13 24 3 9X13 From theabove Table 1 it will be apparent that a container having stackedtherein multiples of two layers in accordance with the invention willhave its interior volume or capacity well utilized. However, forpractical reasons, it is preferred that the number of layers of fourtetrahedrons each should not exceed four for the reason that use of agreater number of layers will result in a container whose height L willbe excessively great as compared with the dimensions of its squarelyconfigured bottom wall.

I claim:

1. A container for and filled with congruent packages in the form ofelongated tetrahedrons each defined by four substantially congruentisosceles triangular sides and having two opposite edges substantiallyperpendicular to each other, the two triangular tetrahedron sidesmeeting along each of said opposite'edges enclosing an edge angle ofabout 45, said container comprising a bottom wall and four side wallsconnecting thereto and arranged so as substantially to define a straightprism the cross section of which is a square having a side approximately1.6 times the length of each of said two opposite tetrahedron edges, abottom layer of two oppositely directed overlapping pairs of saidtetrahedrons resting upon said container bottom wall and a second layerof two oppositely directed overlapping pairs of said tetrahedronssupported upon said bottom layer, the two tetrahedrons of each such pairof said bottom layer being symmetrical to one diagonal plane common toboth pairs of the layer through the container axis and engaging eachother in said plane while each by a triangular tetrahedron side oppositethereto engages an individual one of two adjacent container side walls,said two pairs of tetrahcdrons of said second layer being similarlydisposed with respect to the other diagonal plane through the containeraxis as well as to the container side walls.

2. A package for and filled with tetrahedron packages as defined inclaim 1, wherein the quotient of the length of each of said two oppositetetrahedron edges and their distance apart is from about .75 to .85.

3. A package for and filled with tetrahedron packages as defined inclaim 1, comprising a multiple of tWo further layers of saidtetrahedrons, the two pairs of tetrahedrons of each of said furtherlayers being disposed similarly to those of said bottom layer and saidsecond layer, said diagonal planes through the container axisalternating for successive layers.

4. A package for and filled with tetrahedron packages as defined inclaim 1 wherein, in each layer of tetrahedrons, one tetrahedron of oneof said pairs in overlapping relationship rests upon that tetrahedron ofthe other pair situated on the same side of said diagonal plane commonReferences Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,809,600 6/1931Palmer 20665 X 2,887,221 5/1959 Woodward 206-65 2,919,800 1/1960 J'arund'206-65 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. FRANKLIN T. GARRETT,Examiner.

1. A CONTAINER FOR AND FILLED WITH CONGRUENT PACKAGES IN THE FORM OFELONGATED TETRAHEDRONS EACH DEFINED BY FOUR SUBSTANTIALLY CONGRUENTISOCELES TRIANGULAR SIDE AND HAVING TWO OPPOSITE EDGES SUBSTANTIALLYPERPENDICULAR TO EACH OTHER, THE TWO TRIANGULAR TETRAHEDRON SIDESMEETING ALONG EACH OF SAID OPPOSITE EDGES ENCLOSING AN EDGE ANGLE OFABOUT 45*, SAID CONTAINER COMPRISING A BOTTOM WALL AND FOUR SIDE WALLSCONNECTING THERETO AND ARRANGED SO AS SUBSTANTIALLY TO DEFINE A STRAIGHTPRISM THE CROSS SECTION OF WHICH IS A SQUARE HAVING A SIDE APPROXIMATELY1.6 TIMES THE LENGTH OF EACH OF SAID TWO OPOSITE TETRAHEDRON EDGES, ABOTTOM LAYER OF TWO OPPOSITELY DIRECTED OVERLAPPING PAIRS OF SAIDTETRAHEDRONS RESTING UPON SAID CONTAINER BOTTOM WALL AND A SECOND LAYEROF TWO OPPOSITELY DIRECTED OVERLAPPING PAIRS OF SAID TETRAHEDRONSSUPPORTED UPON SAID BOTTOM LAYER, THE TWO TETRAHEDRONS OF EACH SUCH PAIROF SAID BOTTOM LAYER BEING SYMMETRICAL TO ONE DIAGONAL